Acceptance
by Fayolinn
Summary: Soohyun x Kiseop. Everybody's excited to meet the newest member of U-Kiss, Lee Kiseop - everbody except Shin Soohyun.


**Originally written in March of 2011.**

* * *

Soohyun scanned him over from where he stood across the room. The vocalist crossed his arms and leaned against the wall, indifferent to the situation.

He didn't look like anything special.

And by he, he meant the newest addition to U-Kiss – a tall, lean boy of 18 years. Lee Kiseop, he called himself. He was greeting the others with a bright, white smile, murmuring polite phrases and bowing every five seconds.

Soohyun frowned, eyeing the members. They all looked happy – excited and interested, crowding around this new Kiseop like he was a shiny, new toy. Even Dongho was participating, and Dongho was rarely intrigued by anything that didn't concern himself. Eli had his arm wrapped around Kiseop, Alexander was cracking a joke…

Why were they so willing to accept him?

Soohyun looked away, brooding. They were a six-member group – _six_, not seven! When they had gotten the news that there would be a new addition to U-Kiss, Soohyun had been the only one to disapprove. They couldn't just add someone and immediately take him in like family. He was a stranger, and would forever stay that way.

Soohyun glanced back at Kiseop. He had to admit the kid had the looks, though. He was wearing a short-sleeved shirt that revealed his toned arms; his face was thin and angular, his jawline clearly defined. His collarbone poked through his V-neck, and–

The vocalist shook his head thoroughly, furrowing his brow. What the hell? He couldn't think like this.

"And that's Shin Soohyun!" Soohyun's attention was captured, and he glared at Kevin, who had been the one to announce his name across the room. "He's one of our main vocalists, and he's Blood Type A!"

Soohyun narrowed his eyes, straightening a little. Kiseop grinned shyly. "I'm also Blood Type A." He strode smoothly towards Soohyun, who inched away. "I'm Lee Kiseop, pleasure to meet you." He bowed respectfully, extending a bony hand for a handshake. Soohyun ignored it, turning away. In the next moment, a door was heard slamming shut.

"Don't mind him," Kevin soothed, grabbing Kiseop's shoulders and gently leading him away. "He just needs time to adjust – he'll warm up to you eventually."

Soohyun snorted, hearing Kevin's words through the door. "Not this time, I won't."

* * *

"No, Kevin. The answer's no. Absolutely not!"

"But Soohyun," Kevin pleaded, stopping the door Soohyun had tried to slam in his face. "There's limited room, and he can't sleep on the couch!"

Soohyun rounded on his fellow member, every feature of his body defining his anger. "Dongho gets a room to himself! Why can't he room with him?"

Kevin quivered, hating to see Soohyun mad. "Well… Alexander and I share a room–"

"You two are freaking dating!"

"… Eli and Kibum aren't."

Soohyun threw his hands up in the air, stomping over to his bed. "Move Dongho into my room and give the kid his own room. I'm _not_ sleeping anywhere near him."

Kevin sighed sadly, wringing his hands together. "Why do you hate him, Soohyun? What do you have against Kiseop?"

"Everything." Soohyun dropped onto his bed, staring at the ceiling. There was a lapse of silence before he finally muttered, "We're a family of six, Kevin. Six. Not seven. How can we just suddenly welcome him like he's some long-lost brother?"

"What if you were in his place?"

Soohyun glanced at Kevin, eyeing his figure. "That's different."

"No, it's not." Kevin walked over quietly, taking a spot at the edge of Soohyun's bed. His voice was soft and delicate, his features so angelic. It was hard to stay angry at Kevin. "You haven't even given Kiseop a chance – it's his first day, you don't know anything about him."

"I know his name, age, and blood type. Doesn't that satisfy you?"

Kevin rolled his eyes, a small smile gracing his face. "C'mon, Soohyun. That's seriously all you know?"

"He's Korean."

Kevin stood, shaking his head. "You're impossible," he laughed to himself. Walking to the door, he paused before he closed it. "He's moving into your room whether you like it or not. You won't share a bed with him, so be nice. I don't want to be associated with a newbie-eating vocalist, alright?"

* * *

Kiseop moved in the next morning. Soohyun had been taken out during the day by Eli and Dongho so that he wouldn't have the chance to object – though he had certainly raged up quite a storm when he arrived to find another bed in his room. He forced his mouth shut when Kiseop returned, but would still sneak in a few blatant opinions.

"I think it's great we're both Blood Type A's; I haven't met too many people with that type." Kiseop grinned to himself as he adjusted the sheets on his bed before glancing up towards Soohyun. "I hear people with the same type are supposed to be rather alike."

"We are nothing alike," Soohyun grumbled, immersing himself in a magazine. He lay on his bed, refusing to help Kiseop with his unpacking.

Kiseop shrugged, smoothing out a few wrinkles. "Perhaps." Finally finished and tired, he spread out onto his bed. He lay on his stomach, hugging his pillow. Satisfied, he buried his face into it, sighing. Sensing silence, Soohyun gradually lowered his magazine and cast Kiseop a peek.

What _did_ he actually have against Kiseop? The kid was kind enough, smart enough not to whisper snide remarks or talk back… A tad shy at times. Willing to give Soohyun his space…

Frowning, the vocalist turned back to his magazine. No, he wasn't going to accept him this easily. The kid would have to earn his place in U-Kiss.

* * *

A week passed, then another. Fans worldwide were responding to the news of a new member addition to the previously six-membered U-Kiss. Kiseop was being invited to numerous amounts of interviews, singly or U-Kiss included. Soohyun tried to create excuses to be absent, but Kevin and the others always found ways to bring him along.

When asked for his opinion about Kiseop publicly, Soohyun always wore that mask of cordiality and answered with the general positive remarks. Nearly everyone believed him – everyone except U-Kiss themselves, that is. They were only too aware of Soohyun's dislike for the younger man, his stubborn attitude towards welcoming the newbie.

Whenever Kiseop entered their room, Soohyun somehow found that he was suddenly hungry, so it was time to head to the kitchen. Or for some reason, he just had to go to the bathroom right then. Or dammit, he thought he heard Eli calling him. None of these reasons were actually true, and Soohyun had the vague feeling Kiseop knew it. But he didn't care. He would never care. If Kiseop was ever so displeased with his attitude, he could move into Dongho's room, and the world would be good again.

Still, finding reasons to hate Kiseop were becoming harder and harder as time progressed. The first time they practiced together, they had found that Kiseop was quite the talented dancer. He learned quickly and never complained. Sure, he didn't get much time up front, but he only commented good-naturedly that that was to be expected. When they were rehearsing the song that Kiseop was to be featured in for the first time, they discovered that his voice, though slightly out of practice, was rather soft and light and had a nice, well-rounded sound.

But Soohyun wouldn't fall for this. Just because Kiseop had talent didn't mean anything. He could still pick out his flaws. Like Kiseop's shyness. In the interviews, he would sometimes stumble over his words and play with his hands and look down away from the camera. Or the fact that that he was too organized (though when Soohyun criticized about this, none of the members could see why this was a problem). Or the fact that he took way too many pictures of himself. Or the fact that everyone liked him.

Everyone except Soohyun.

* * *

It had been about half a year now. Soohyun's complaints and protests had died down, as no one paid him any attention anymore and the arguments were becoming less and less valid. The other members weren't fully ignoring him, but they had learned to tune out his whining and had stopped inviting him along on trips that Kiseop was attending… which was almost every single one.

Now, he resorted to ignorance. He simply avoided Kiseop, avoiding his gaze and presence. Kiseop was willing to go along with this plan, respecting Soohyun's privacy and spending a lot of his time in the other members' rooms when he could. He fit in nicely now, Soohyun had to regretfully admit. He helped Dongho with his homework, impersonated pigeons with Eli, tried learning Japanese with Kibum, marveled at Alexander's language-speaking ability, and would sometimes dress up like a girl with Kevin.

Soohyun would shrug his shoulders at these activities – he could care less. He hated homework. Pigeons were ugly and stupid. He already knew some Japanese, he didn't need help. He had no interest in hearing Alexander speak seven languages, or dressing up like a girl. Nope. He wasn't affected by any of these things. Occasionally, though, he'd feel this strange nagging feeling somewhere within him, though he couldn't quite place his finger on it. It wasn't until he saw Kiseop talking selcas with Kevin that he finally recognized it.

Jealousy.

It was then that he threw himself into denial. Jealous? He had never been jealous of anything before, not to mention over people. He had no reason to be. He told himself to be calm, that the jealousy would die away and that hanging with Kiseop was no big deal, it was overrated.

But the truth was, he was becoming lonely. Because of his refusal to be close to Kiseop, he was becoming more and more distant with the other members. Even Kevin, who made it his job to make sure everyone was included and sharing equal attention was spending less and less time with him. He wouldn't let it show, but Soohyun was starting to hurt. He always threw on this sense of bravado that, for the most part, was genuine. But now… now it was starting to crack, and Soohyun didn't like the feeling.

And truthfully… there was something about Kiseop that he truly hated himself for. Soohyun had always liked girls – in fact, he loved them. He had dated quite a few during his school years and was almost known as a ladies' man. There were a number now he'd loved to date or marry or do a few things to that are better left unmentioned.

But Kiseop… Kiseop was making him question his sexuality.

Of course this was something he would never tell anybody. Not a soul. Not for all the money in the world. Soohyun had been straight all his life, but then this kid had to show up. He wanted to pull out all his hair. He wanted to shut himself up in a basement and never come out. He wanted Kiseop out of his life.

He hadn't quite discovered the fact that he was developing feelings for the younger man until their Bingeul Bingeul photoshoot. When they had gotten those tattoos, when they had to go shirtless… Kiseop's abs were something to die for.

The night after the photoshoot and music video filming, Soohyun threw himself onto his bed and screamed into his pillow. Why was this happening? He had spent all this time building up a wall against Kiseop – who was now 19 – and it was slowly crumbling. It wasn't like he could suddenly make a public announcement to the rest of the group, with a wide smile on his face, and completely renounce all dislike for Kiseop. It wasn't that easy. _Am I that easy?_ he would ask himself.

He fell asleep with the lyrics of _Man Man Ha Ni_ running through his head that night.

* * *

Kiseop yawned as he turned the key to the door of their dorm late that night. Practice had been rather long today, and it didn't help that they had all decided to go to a small, friendly club afterwards. Soohyun had left early – which didn't surprise him – and Kiseop almost wished he had gone with him. It had been a long night, and Kiseop had barely any strength to stand.

As he shut the door behind him, he heard the snores of the other members from their rooms. He had been the last to leave (as a small mob of his fangirls had delayed him from the others), but he didn't think they'd all be asleep that fast. Kiseop shuffled to his room, dropping his stuff messily onto the floor. He turned on the lights with another yawn, blinking against the brightness.

"Huh, that's funny," he muttered sleepily to himself. "Soohyun's not home…" Without thinking too clearly, the young man ambled towards the edge of the older member's bed. He sat on it, noting how temptingly comfortable it was. If Soohyun wasn't home now, he probably wouldn't be home at all tonight. Perhaps he had found some girl's house to go to. Some one-night stand, maybe.

"Lucky guy," Kiseop mused to himself, kicking off his shoes and slipping out of his shirt. Feeling somewhat bold tonight, he wriggled under the thick blankets of Soohyun's bed, covering his head. He was too lazy to get up and turn off the lights. Sighing, he closed his eyes, Soohyun's scent thick all around him. He knew it was strange, but he somehow liked Soohyun's smell. Somehow, it comforted him. It was a manly smell that most would find displeasing, so Kiseop's liking towards it would be a secret he'd take to the grave.

Oddly enough, there were a number of things he secretly liked about Soohyun, even though he was only too aware that he hated his guts. The way he was passionate about his singing, the way his muscles slid under his skin when he wore tank tops or form-fitting shirts, the way he showed his affection to the other members by treating them so bluntly… Kiseop was also only too aware that he had come to like Soohyun as more than a friend (which they had never been in the first place).

This was also a secret he'd take to the grave.

Soohyun was different from the others. For one thing, he was the only one who treated him with anything other than friendliness, love, and support. Though Kiseop was fond of all three of those things, it was somehow a refreshing difference from the same routine that had developed in the past six months. In addition, they were of the same blood type. Though Kiseop clearly remembered the comment Soohyun had made on his first day about being nothing alike, he couldn't shake the feeling that somehow they were… he didn't have the slightest hint as to how that could be, but it couldn't just be a coincidence or mistake…

Kiseop's thoughts began to slur together as sleep eventually enveloped him, and soon, he was far way in dreamland.

* * *

Soohyun finally stumbled into the dorm far later that night – or early morning, seeing as it was a quarter past 3 AM. He had escaped from the first club he had attended with the other members, finding it unbearable to watch Kiseop shake his hips like that. His mind had wandered past his comfort level, so he had excused himself with the reason of a headache. Kevin had shot him a funny look, but he had managed to make it out of there without further questioning.

After that, he had found himself another club. There were a lot more girls at this one, so he had been able to distract himself and forget all that had occurred earlier that night. For once in a long time, he had had fun – he had been able to laugh and be himself and just go with the flow. But as the night dragged on, he found that he wasn't happy. He wasn't happy because he knew none of these people truly understood what he was going through, and that they honestly wouldn't care if he told any of them. He was tired and after almost collapsing on the dance floor, he knew it was time to get home.

Running a hand through his hair, he was surprised to find the light to his room still on. He peeked inside to see what Kiseop was doing this early in the morning, but found the room and his bed empty. Soohyun frowned, knowing Kevin would've turned off the lights. Perhaps Kiseop was in one of the other rooms?

No, there was his stuff from earlier that night, lying on the floor. However, it looked as if it had been merely dropped there, and Kiseop was usually very tidy about his personal belongings. Soohyun shook his head – he needed to sleep; thinking about these things now wouldn't do him any good.

Yawning, he slipped off his shoes and threw his shirt in the corner. He stretched, feeling his aching muscles complain. The vocalist winced, knowing practice tomorrow wouldn't be pleasant. He switched off the lights, a pool of moonlight shimmering on his bed the only light source. Reaching for the bed, he tossed back the covers only to experience a mini heart attack – he wasn't tired anymore.

There lay Kiseop – a _shirtless_ Kiseop – tucked gently under his covers and sound asleep. The younger man lay there, his sides rising and falling quietly in synch with his breathing. His well-toned muscles were easily seen, even in the dim lighting, his abs only too visible. Soohyun stood there, frozen, cursing his heart as it picked up its pace. The kid looked so… so peaceful. His bangs fell over his eyes, his hands cradled up to his chest. Soohyun was afraid to touch him, let alone move at all.

In the end, he didn't need to. Kiseop stirred, feeling somewhat colder now that the covers weren't sheltering him anymore. Blinking groggily, he sat up readjust the covers when he finally caught sight of Soohyun, standing there, statue-like with eyes wide open in disbelief.

Kiseop felt his voice catch in his throat, fear racing through his veins. His mind commanded him to move, but his limbs refused to listen. Soohyun was there, closer than he had ever been, without a shirt. When he suddenly realized the position he was in, Kiseop was overwhelmed. He made a move to back away, scrambling frantically, but quickly got tangled in the covers. As he tried to dislodge himself, he only made matters worse, and let out a small yelp as he tumbled over the other side of the bed.

Soohyun flinched at the sound of Kiseop hitting the hard, wooden floor. Neither of them made a further move in fear that another one of the members would come running in in a panic. When nothing else was heard except more snoring, Soohyun eventually blinked, regaining his breath. Hoping Kiseop hadn't broken his neck in the fall – he was becoming concerned with his lack of movement – Soohyun hesitantly crawled onto the bed. He craned his neck to peek over the bed's side, finding only a jumbled heap of sheets. Soohyun began to question whether Kiseop was in that mess at all, but soon found his answer when he heard a small whimper.

"K-Kiseop?"

The older man slowly reached towards the mass of sheets, throwing back a few folds to uncover Kiseop's face. In all honesty, he looked like a deer caught in headlights. He tried to shuffle away from Soohyun, but the sheets kept him trapped.

"Umm, here, let me help you…"

Soohyun reached over, biting his tongue against all the thoughts raging in his head, untangling Kiseop from his prison. Kiseop remained silent and Soohyun wondered if he was holding his breath. When Kiseop was finally free, Soohyun sat up and opened his mouth to speak, but didn't get the opportunity. Kiseop lunged forward, sliding on the smooth floor, and scooped up his shirt. Throwing it over his head, the younger member disappeared around the corner and into the hallway.

Soohyun blinked, mind in a whir.

"… what the hell just happened?"

* * *

Kiseop drowned his second glass of water in only two gulps. He set the glass down, wiping his mouth. His breathing was still heavy, even though the incident had happened more than five minutes ago. He faced the wall, staring out the kitchen window at the full moon. He never got tired of its beauty, the way it bathed the Earth in its silvery light.

Kiseop let out another heavy exhale, leaning over the counter. He thought Soohyun wouldn't be home. He thought Soohyun wouldn't be home! He buried his face into his hands, squeezing his eyes shut. He had never been that close to Soohyun, ever. Not since he had attempted to shake his hand that frst day. And yeah, he had seen the older man shirtless before, but not close enough to touch…

Why did he have to come home?

Kiseop laid his arms back down onto the counter, hugging his elbows. Had Soohyun seen the furious blush that had blazed over his cheeks? Had he heard the way his heart beat uncontrollably? Kiseop prayed in earnest that he hadn't.

He was so consumed in his thoughts that he was completely unaware of Soohyun quietly watching him from around the corner of the kitchen. He had only just arrived there, too uncertain to go any further. The vocalist had finally recovered from the recent incident, donning on a shirt and splashing his face with water multiple times. They had both scared each other equally as bad, and Soohyun didn't want Kiseop running away again. He eyed the younger member with the softest look since… well, since they had first met. He had never seen Kiseop this vulnerable, and for some reason, Soohyun couldn't bring himself to keep the wall of indifference up any longer. He no longer cared what anyone would think now – he was tired of feigning feelings he didn't have anymore.

Feeling a surge of bravery, Soohyun quietly stepped forward, his socked feet raising his level of stealth. By now, he was mere inches away from Kiseop… and, biting his tongue, he slipped his arms around the younger man's waist.

_Damn, he's skinny,_ were Soohyun's first thoughts.

Kiseop tensed noticeably, throwing off Soohyun's arms and whirling around. His expression was of utter horror and surprise. His mouth worked overtime, but no sound was produced. Kiseop backed into the counter, fighting for words, but still at a loss. He looked Soohyun up and down, wondering if he was drunk.

"W-w-what the _hell_ was that?!"

Soohyun closed his eyes, taking a deep breath through his nose. He opened his eyes again to gaze at Kiseop, who was flattening himself against the counter and trying to inch away as far as he could.

"I mean – you weren't – why did you – how come you – don't you…"

"Why were you in my bed?" Soohyun kept it simple, shocked at his own ability to remain this calm.

Kiseop's expression morphed into one of defense, guilt, and hurt. "I… well, you… you weren't home!" he finally retorted, gripping the counter's edge until his knuckles turned white. "You weren't home and frankly, your bed's far more… comfortable than mine." It _was_ the truth.

Soohyun frowned slightly, but the answer was acceptable. "Where did you think I was?"

It was the younger man's turn to frown. "What kind of question is that?"

"A question I want answered."

"But why do you–"

Soohyun sighed, impatient. "Can you just answer it?"

Kiseop paused. "I thought you were probably having sex with some girl."

Kiseop's blunt answer caught Soohyun off-guard. "You think I'm that type of guy?"

"From the other members' stories? Yes."

Soohyun rubbed his temples, furrowing his brow. _Thanks, guys._ Clearing his throat, he dropped his hands to his sides and looked at Kiseop. He had stopped trying to inch away but instead was regaining his confidence and now stood tall. The boy was just about his height and could easily see him eye-to-eye. Soohyun made a move towards Kiseop again, but this time the boy stopped him.

"Wait." Kiseop's voice shook slightly, but he raised his chin; he wanted to be taken seriously. "Now it's my turn for a question… Why did you do that? Why are you trying to talk to me? Why are you closer than you've ever been in six months – why now? Why so suddenly? Don't you hate me?" Kiseop's voice cracked, but he continued. "Don't you want me to leave U-Kiss? Don't you think I'm invading your family, invading your personal space by sleeping in your room and stealing some of your fans' love? Are you drunk, because you sure aren't acting like the Soohyun I know!" Kiseop's eyes were beginning to shimmer with wetness, his lips quivering as he fought to act brave.

Soohyun could think of a million answers to every single question, but when he opened his mouth to speak, his mind went blank. For once, he had nothing to say. Actually, he had enough to talk about for an entire week, but he had no idea where to start. He met Kiseop's gaze, looking nowhere else. He slowly lost himself in those eyes, those grey-black eyes that shone with so much emotion. It was in that moment that he noticed something, some hidden feeling that was surreptitiously surfacing.

"Tell me the Soohyun that _you_ know," Soohyun murmured so softly that Kiseop almost didn't catch all the words.

"… what?"

"You heard me."

"I almost didn't, you were speaking so–"

"Just–!" Soohyun stopped himself from raising his voice, taking a deep breath. "Just answer… please."

Kiseop shifted uncomfortably, his death-grip on the counter becoming less and less. "Well," he began, eyes dropping to the floor. "The Soohyun I know… he hates me. He hates me for coming into his life without permission. He wouldn't go so far as to kill me, but I bet it's crossed his mind a few times. Most likely as a joke. But he… he…" Kiseop choked, squeezing his eyes shut again. "He has a beautiful voice. He sings so… so passionately and he… he's not afraid to be himself when he sings. Or dances. He's a natural leader that can be somewhat overprotective of what he loves… he's well-built with muscles that rival Eli's… and he has this smell that only I seem to find attractive." Kiseop raised his face to Soohyun, a single tear running down his face. "But I want to know the real Soohyun, the Soohyun that everyone tells me about. The so-called ladies' man whom no one can resist. The Soohyun I hear about in Kevin's Twitter tweets and Alexander's jokes and Kibum's complaints and Eli's stories and Dongho's texts, and–"

Before he could say another word, before either of their minds could register anything, Soohyun's lips were on Kiseop's – slightly chapped, soft but firm, gentle yet determined. Soohyun's hands were cupped around Kiseop's jaw, his touch tender but enough to keep Kiseop from pulling away.

In all honesty, Kiseop did want to pull away. To begin with, he had never before kissed another man, and he was pretty confident in his theory that Soohyun hadn't either. This was all happening so fast, he didn't really have the time to react… but it somehow pleased him how Soohyun's lips felt against his, the way he assumed control, yet allowed for a little freedom…

But no. It couldn't be like this. Kiseop pushed Soohyun away, refusing to meet the older man's eyes.

"You… you can't do that…"

"I just did."

Kiseop flashed Soohyun a look. "You know what I mean."

"I'm afraid I don't." Soohyun grinned slightly, and Kiseop had to look away again to hide his small smile. Soohyun still saw it, and it sent small shivers through his spine.

"Shut up, yes you do."

"Oh, so you're a mind-reader now?"

"Get off me!"

Soohyun pressed his body against Kiseop's, relishing in the feeling of Kiseop's crotch against his. Kiseop gasped, his face becoming flushed and hot. He bit his tongue to halt any further noises from escaping his mouth.

"K-Kevin and the others didn't tell me about _this_ side of you…"

"Probably to preserve those virgin ears of yours." Soohyun chuckled quietly at the astonished look crossing Kiseop's face. "I'm only kidding, kid. You think I've done this any of them?"

Kiseop made a face at the mention of the word 'kid'. "You sure adjust fast," he mumbled under his breath, changing the subject. "To this… situation, that is."

Soohyun's expression softened somewhat, hugging Kiseop closer. "You actually have no idea how long I've wanted to do this…"

The younger man caught Soohyun's eye, raising an eyebrow. "Oh? So for how long has this so-called displeasure for me been going on?"

Soohyun grumbled, burying his nose into Kiseop's hair. "Long enough."

Kiseop couldn't help but smiling to himself. But still… was Soohyun just playing with him? Was this all an act to gain his trust? Kiseop's smile wavered. Sensing a mood change, Soohyun pulled away a little. He put a finger under Kiseop's chin and raised it. Kiseop kept his eyes closed, not wanting to meet the older man's gaze… but it was inevitable. He slowly opened them, shedding another tear.

"How long have you felt this way about me?" Soohyun asked, rubbing his thumb along Kiseop's jawline.

Kiseop swallowed, his mouth slightly agape. "Not long enough…"

And then they were kissing again, and all of Kiseop's doubt was wiped away. Soohyun's hands slid down Kiseop's neck, tracing the curve of his shoulder blades and wrapping around his hips. Kiseop's fingers twined themselves into Soohyun's hair, running through the silky mass. Kiseop parted his lips for a quick breath, but Soohyun took that as an invitation to insert his tongue into his younger counterpart's mouth. Kiseop tensed, yet found that he rather enjoyed this foreign feeling. He began to relax, growing bolder as he slipped his tongue into Soohyun's mouth, and pretty soon the older man was trailing kisses down Kiseop's neck, biting his ear, raising Kiseop's shirt to reveal those chocolate abs–

The sound of something being dropped caught the couple's attention, causing them to break apart and look towards the source of the interruption. There stood all five other members, dumbstruck. Kevin stood in the middle, wide-awake, frozen in shock, and the one guilty of dropping his plastic cup. Alexander was by his side, arm around Kevin's shoulders as he stared with his mouth open. Eli was holding back laughter as he snickered behind a hand, and Kibum simply shook his head as if he had been expecting this all along. Dongho was behind them all, rubbing his eyes sleepily and not interested at all.

Soohyun let out an exhale. "Did all of you have nightmares? 'Cuz you can't all sleep in my bed."

Kevin bent down to pick up his cup, smiling nervously. "Not quite. I, uh… was just coming to refill my cup since I was thirsty, and Alexander was also awake, so he came with… then we heard your voices rising, and the others began to wake, and we weren't sure if something was wrong, so…" His smile widened, as he looked at the two, whose hands were still resting on each other's hips. "Guess you guys are doing just fine."

"More than fine," Kibum muttered, and Eli couldn't hold his laughter back any longer.

"I told you this would happen, didn't I?" the rapper said, shaking his head.

Soohyun scowled; Kiseop pecked his cheek, his edges of his lips turning upwards. "He did," he whispered. "I would've told you as a joke if we were on friendlier terms."

Alexander pushed himself forward, putting his hands in the air. "Aaah, you two," he sang, laughing. "A hug for the lovebirds!" He enveloped the two in a tight hug, accidentally bonking their heads together. "Guess there's no hard feelings between you two anymore, now that you've made out in our kitchen?"

Soohyun glared at Alexander, and Kiseop feared he'd take out some of his anger on him… but suddenly a mischievous grin came upon his face. "I'm assuming there's no hard feelings between you and Kevin either, since you've practically made out with Kevin in every single room of this dorm?" There was more snickering from Eli, and Kibum excused himself, mumbling something about going to bed. Soohyun turned back to Kiseop, adding, "And I could probably find a few more things to be angry about."

Kevin came up to the three, gently prying Alexander away. "I wouldn't put it past him. Anyway, you two feel free to… use the kitchen as need be. Just don't use any of the knives."

"Be safe, kiddies!" Eli called, casting a wink their way as he directed the sleepy Dongho by his shoulders back to his own room. Alexander laughed as he allowed Kevin to lead him away as well, waving to the two. And finally, they were left in peace again.

Soohyun sighed, rubbing his forehead. "Didn't really need that… I was kinda hoping to tell them in our own way, at our own time."

Kiseop shrugged. "I s'pose it's not worth worrying over, they were bound to find out anyway."

"Yeah, but–" Before he could finish, Kiseop grabbed his face and pulled him into another kiss. "You honestly complain too much."

"I like to call it excessive critiquing."

"Whatever it's called, you need to stop."

"And if I don't?"

Kiseop raised an eyebrow. "I'll break up with you."

"Who ever said we were together?"

Kiseop shoved Soohyun away, stalking out of the kitchen. Soohyun blinked after him, stunned by this response. What had he said wrong? He hadn't meant it seriously… Kiseop had almost made it back to their room before Soohyun grabbed his hand.

"Hey… I'm sorry, it was a joke." Soohyun's face was stoic, but his eyes were pleading.

"Some joke," Kiseop replied, pulling his hand away. Soohyun sighed as the younger man turned into the room before following. _And I thought only women were this sensitive,_ he thought. Kiseop had turned on the lights when he had entered, so Soohyun turned them off again, plunging them into almost total darkness.

"Soohyun," Kiseop warned, sending a small tremor down Soohyun's spine. It was the first name Kiseop had ever mentioned his name to him directly. "Turn on the light, I can't see."

Soohyun picked his way over to Kiseop carefully, grabbing both his hands and causing him to drop the shoes he had been moving. "You don't need to," he said before leaning in for a kiss.

Kiseop dodged it, trying to get free. "Stop it, I'm serious."

"So am I."

"Your clever remarks are getting old really fast."

"Kiseop, please." Soohyun pressed his forehead against Kiseop's, forcing him to look into his eyes. "I am serious. I'm sorry, alright? Sorry for that joke, sorry for scaring you on the bed earlier, sorry for the way I've treated you these past six months… I'm not perfect, and I can't change completely, but I'm willing… I'm willing to work with you on this. Are you?"

Kiseop snorted. "Of course I am, it's _you_ I'm concerned about." His eyes searched Soohyun's, his voice now only a whisper. "I'm scared, Soohyun," he eventually pressed on. "Scared that this won't last long. We've been practically living in the same room for half a year, but barely shared a word. How can I go from avoiding someone to becoming their boyfriend?"

Soohyun released his hold on Kiseop's hands to unfasten the hidden necklace dangling around his own neck. After a moment, he finished fastening it around Kiseop's. Kiseop took it into his hand and examined it. It was a simple silver heart with a tiny diamond embedded into one of the corners.

"I know this sounds silly, and it might look a tad too feminine… but it was given to me by my grandmother, who told me to give it only to… to the one who means most to me in my life. I've had plenty of opportunities to give to others, but… you're the only one I've felt earns it most."

Kiseop wanted to say something in return, but couldn't find the words to rival Soohyun's. He bit his lip, this time accepting Soohyun's kiss – it was more gentle this time, more tender and sweet. "Thanks," Kiseop whispered into his lips. He wanted to say more, but he was afraid his voice would crack from emotion.

"I'll let you sleep in my bed this time… without any surprises."

Kiseop smiled, burying his face into the crook of Soohyun's neck. "I'd like that."

Soohyun kissed Kiseop's neck, suddenly curious. "And do I seriously smell good to you?"

Kiseop's face grew hot. "… yes. Why?"

"Kibum says I stink."

Kiseop grinned. "Don't listen to him… I think he's just jealous."

Soohyun snickered, leading Kiseop to the bed. "Of course – who wouldn't be?"


End file.
